Reel Reviews -- A

The Adventures Of Rocky And Bullwinkle (~) -- So-so update on the classic, "Best Of All" television series. The puns are groaners--naturally--and Robert De Niro is a hoot as the original Fearless Leader. The rest of the cast is just OK, and the story and animation are nothing special. Posted 9/9/02.

The Affair Of The Necklace (+) -- An enjoyable bit of dandied up fluff. Not profound, but it holds your interest. Posted 11/18/02.

Affliction (--) -- Again, noble intentions go down for the count. The main storyline of this film, the ripple effects of an abusive family life, is (sadly) too routine to break new ground, and the presentation is too lethargic to hold the interest of the average viewer. There are hints of a more interesting movie in the subplot, about an apparent murder mystery--star Nick Nolte certainly seems more engaged by that storyline--but that subplot remains peripheral throughout. The idea was better than the execution. Posted 3/10/06.

After The Sunset (+) -- Implausibility in the opening sequence: bad sign. Salma Hayak's tits: good sign. I guess it's all about what you're looking for. What you see here is a scenario we've witnessed many times (cool, suave criminals as heroes of the story). The charm of the actors (Pierce Brosnan and the aforementioned Hayak) helps immensely, as does the funny, well-written script. And the Carribbean scenery looks great on screen. Not a bad way to go, overall. Posted 9/30/06.

After The Thin Man (+) -- Actually a bit better than the original. The ultimate resolution is a confused bit of detective film hooey, but the Charleses share lots of snappy dialogue, and Nicky is still drinking like a fish. Enjoyable. Posted 7/31/05.

A.I. (+) -- There were some serious reservations at the start; it's just not that engaging at first. It's even a little creepy (but not in an interesting way). But once it starts to--very consciously--parallel its literary antecedent (Collodi's Pinocchio) the movie really takes off and becomes something worth watching. Posted 5/14/03.

A Knight's Tale (+) -- A bit disorienting at first, with the medieval setting and rock 'n' roll soundtrack, but once you get past the anachronisms, you get a thoroughly entertaining and intelligent movie. Great characters all around; special pats on the back to Paul Bettany, who plays an outrageous Geoffrey Chaucer. Posted 9/16/02.

Alex & Emma (--) -- This should tell you all you need to know: about a half hour into this movie, I felt comfortable with the idea of pausing it and going for a long sit on the toilet. I guess it's not very engrossing. Apart from being false and unbelievable (writers don't go about their business like that, and those two wouldn't wind up caring about each other), the story actually cuts its own throat when it's on the verge of saving itself (by not going with the obvious but far more interesting ending). Don't waste your time. Posted 3/10/05.

Alexander (~) -- Only your local deli serves up more ham sandwiches than this flick. You can call this typical Oliver Stone: bombastic, full of weird directorial decisions and over the top performances (paging Angelina Jolie...paging Angelina Jolie...). But the history seems mostly spot on, and there's plenty for the eyes to feast on. If you want an enjoyable, old-fashioned "among the legions" epic, you can do worse than this. Posted 5/21/09.

Ali (+) -- Very stylishly done, but you expect that from director Michael Mann. The story is told more visually than textually, but the tale still comes strongly across. And Will Smith does an astounding job of capturing The Champ's enormous charisma. A very strong effort. Posted 2/14/03.

All is Lost (+) -- What’s most impressive here, in some ways, is how much one man can do for himself even when he’s lost at sea and all is going to hell around him. There’s also a refreshing aspect to watching this film: since there is basically no dialogue, nothing is explained for the viewer. Anyone watching need to figure everything out for himself, and that makes for a very engaging, engrossing experience. Posted 8/20/14.

All The Pretty Horses (~) -- The squiggly line has never been so squiggly. This one has some wonderful moments, and it is visually glorious, but the story is never particularly engaging or interesting to those with broader mental horizons. Take it for a spin if you really like cowboy movies. Posted 12/18/02.

Almost Famous (+) -- It isn't especially deep or important, but it is an awful lot of fun (especially the music). Just watch it. Posted 2/24/03.

The Amazing Spider-Man (~) -- In many ways this film reflects the state of the art of superhero movies. Gone are the days of the genre's cheesy, low-rent flicks; the template is now well-established, and every entry in the field is competent (at least), entertaining, a little bit funny, action-packed, and a certain crowd-pleaser. But once we've gone through that ride a certain number of times, it's bound to grow a little old. So it is here--you can like this movie, but you also can see the template getting stale, too. I certainly won't say this film isn't worth watching, but I'm not sure you're missing anything if you skip it either. Posted 3/24/13.

The American (~) -- Say what you will about the big, tent-pole mainstream movies--they lay your motivations right out in front of you. Not so here. It's hard to say why we would root for George Clooney's hit man, other than the fact that it's George Clooney playing the lead role. But that does not necessarily equate to a bad movie. This one's moody and atmospheric, has some really nice Italian locations going for it, and the relationships between the characters--particularly Clooney's assassin and the town priest--are complex and interesting. And Clooney's minimalist performance and a well-turned plot combine to bring an involving sense of urgency by the end. If you're willing to deal with a movie that's somewhat opaque, you'll be rewarded by this one. Otherwise, stick to the front end of the googolplex. Posted 8/13/12.

American Gangster (+) -- A muddled beginning followed by a slow build, but the film steadily grows into a riveting account of one man's rise and fall (and another's fall and rise). On its own merits, this might be just another crime movie, but some rich, compelling work by stars Crowe and Washington lift this one into something a cut above. Worth a look. Posted 4/16/09.

American History X (+) -- A hard ride. This one's probably too intense for most folks, and that's a shame, because there's a really good movie here: a good story, well-told, with an important message; strong performances by all of the principles; and some solid moviemaking technique as well. If you give it a look, brace yourself, but it will be worth it. Posted 5/31/05.

American Splendor (+) -- You might be fooled by the promotional materials into thinking that this is a comedy. It is, in fact, a biography of a man and his art, and true to that fact it has its funny and serious moments. The cast does decent work, but the true star here is the real life Harvey Pekar (appearing throughout in documentary interludes) and his committment to presenting his work and its philosophy in blazing, uncompromising honesty. We should all be so legitimate. Posted 9/18/03.

America's Sweethearts (~) -- Mildly amusing. The ever reliable John Cusack comes through, for the most part, and no one particularly embarrasses himself or herself. But the humor doesn't cut nearly as deep as it should have; and the movie's satirical targets have already been shot to death a thousand times over. Posted 8/17/03.

An American In Paris (--) -- Another reminder of why musicals are dead (or nearly so). This is not to say that the Gershwin tunes aren't great, or that Gene Kelly's choreography is not in and of itself an artistic achievement. There are moments of joy here. But the demands of the set musical pieces upon the storyline are so onerous that the overall effect is weird and disjointed. And don't even get me started about that half-an-hour-of-ballet ending. Posted 6/19/05.

Amistad (+) -- This movie features some tightrope walking: Spielberg is a director who has never let subtlety get in the way of the film he wants to make, and he lays it on thick in many scenes here. Yet, in addition to an impressive cast, this flick also features some terrific, inspiring moments about humans making connections, listening to their consciences, and the ideals by which--we hope--our nation lives. Even given its length, this film stays watchable, entertaining, and thought-provoking to the end. Good stuff. Posted 9/6/12.

Analyze This (~) -- A few laughs; you could do worse with things with your time. Just don't expect greatness.

Anna Karenina (+) -- The strengths of this movie lie in the visuals and the performances. Much of this film is a feast for the eyes; only rarely are these scenes played plainly and on a small scale. Add to that some very good actors performing at the top of their games--Jude Law in particular is a marvel of conveying emotion through a veil of restraint--and you get movie that moves well and holds the attention all the way through. One negative critique: I’m not sure this presentation really needed the extra bells and whistles (scenes, especially transitions, are often portrayed as stage pieces); sometimes a director needs to know when to get out of the way and let his story do the storytelling. Posted 5/23/14.

The Anniversary Party (+) -- This one would get a plus for no other reason than the (now rare) chance to see Phoebe Cates. (Yes, she's still adorable.) But it has merits beyond that--the humor is as dry as the Sahara, and the story is insightful and incisive. The only down side: when it turns from comedy to drama, the drama is a little too heavy. But mostly, it's a lot of fun. Posted 11/16/02.

Another Thin Man (+) -- Nick and Nora, doing their thing. Again, a sequel that in many ways surpasses the original, thanks largely to the crackling dialogue. Posted 8/15/05.

Antwone Fisher (+) -- An effective story of struggle and redemption. You can't help but root for the title character. Of course, the real Antwone Fisher wrote the screenplay, so there may be reason to be skeptical. Nevertheless, it is a good movie and a good story. A side note, though: this does not exactly depict the ideal patient-therapist relationship--a little too involved there, doc. Posted 2/16/04.

Any Given Sunday (--) -- I can't tell--did Oliver Stone make a stupid football movie because he's stupid, or because football is stupid, or is it both? The critique of the character of big-time football is welcome (apparently, everyone involved with it is a horrible person), but bluster and bullshit are not substitutes for an actual story. Posted 10/5/02.

The Apostle (+) -- Occasionally slow, but mostly interesting look at a preacher who's got more than a bit of the devil in him. Maybe Robert Duvall's best work.

Apt Pupil (+) -- Ian McKellan, the perfect Nazi? Who knew? All jokes aside, McKellan gives a great performance.

Argo (+) -- This is a very enjoyable movie, but no duh, it did win Best Picture. That statue does not always necessarily go to the deserving film; in this case, I think the win was deserved, given that all the competitors were flawed. And this too is a film with flaws, but they are so minor, so slight--a few cliched scenes at the climax--that they hardly make watching this work anything less than a fine experience. One interesting thing to note: the verisimilitude is almost too good, in that watching this flick as an American of a certain age can call up a little more rage against Iran than anyone, at this remove, should feel comfortable feeling. Let’s hope that with time comes wisdom, all the way around. Posted 1/8/14.

The Aristocrats (+) -- A one-note movie? Somewhat, but it's a note played with so many nuances and personal styles it doesn't grow tiresome. There are a few duds in terms of delivery, but the good tellings of the "jokester's joke" are worth the price of admission alone. Remember the obvious caveat: the language is as filthy as humanly possible, so no wilting flowers, please. And be sure to watch it with a lot of other people--a crowd setting will heighten the laughter. Posted 9/9/05.

Art School Confidential (+) -- 'Wry' barely covers it. According to this film, everything you already think about modern art is true, and who's to argue? Overall, the story is slight but honest, it moves briskly, and just enough hearty laughs pop out to make you feel you've gotten your full share of comedy. Posted 5/9/09.

The Artist (+) -- A very clever film. I don't know if it's Best Picture clever; I suspect it won the little gold statue for being a movie about movie-making, and given the self-fellating ouroboros that is Hollywood, that was probably more than enough for Academy voters. Which is not to say this one isn't good; again, it's very clever, it pulls out all the stops to tell a silent story visually, and the performances lay on a healthy dose of charm. That's enough to result in a very enjoyable movie watching experience. So give it a look; just don't start worshiping it or anything. Posted 3/24/13.

The Assassination Of Richard Nixon (--) -- Like almost all assassination plots, this film has a fatal flaw. The movie's arduous, even repetitive efforts to paint Sean Penn's character--a failed salesman, husband and would-be assassin--as a loser undermines any broader significance to the man's actions. It's an unavoidable question/conclusion: what reason is there to question the system if the only one driven to challenge it is someone congenitally unable to function within its domain? Are all activists, murderous or otherwise, simply those who can't get along? That is the unexpected train of thought that grows out of this film. Penn's performance is typically fine, but there isn't much of interest--apart from the violent denouement--once his character is established. A noble, but large, failure. Posted 10/6/07.

Atlantic City (~) -- Decent performances, but I didn't think it was anything particularly special, despite it being a Best Picture nominee way back when.

Atlantis: The Lost Empire (--) -- Ironically--for a movie with such a "deep"(sea) theme--this one comes across as rather shallow. For a moment I thought it was going to build an allegorical story, relating the "dying" culture of the Atlanteans to our modern America, but no, it just plowed ahead with its straight-ahead, banal story. The characters, including the now-requisite "zany" sidekick(s), aren't very interesting, the animation impressive in a now-standard way (including one sequence that is painfully derivative from Aladdin), and all the crystal power stuff comes across as so much New Age hooey. Posted 12/3/02.

Auto Focus (~) -- A word of advice: if you're having the Pope over for the evening, you might want to bypass screening this one after dinner. The movie certainly has its share of nakedness, but it's not as sleazy as you might think; it's certainly not as stimulating as one would anticipate. I can't say if Greg Kinnear really captures Bob Crane--I was never a Hogan's Heroes fan--but the performances are well done and believable. The movie just never rises to any particular heights. Posted 2/28/04.

The Aviator (~) -- A technically superior movie, to be sure. But also a strangely disjointed film. It's time and place--Hollywood's Golden Age--has never seemed so alien, almost otherworldly, despite having appeared in countless period pieces. Something seems to be missing, or not captured properly. The film also suffers from a casting faux pas; despite a strong roster overall, DiCaprio seems miscast as Howard Hughes--he's too young through most of the film, even for Hughes's early adventures. And while there is an interesting story element buried within the flash and dazzle--an underdeveloped statement about obsession and achievement that could have been enlightening--the pieces never come together to make the whole truly engaging. A near miss. Posted 10/24/06.